Battle Calls
by Popular Trash
Summary: John nodded to her "Did you run into any trouble?" he asked. "Nothing I couldn't handle" She replied her eyes slanting close so he could tell she was grinning. "You are blood thirsty aren't you?" ; "No more than you brother." she gave a small laugh.
1. Chapter 1

I own nothing having to do with Saving Private Ryan or WWII. I own only Private John and Jack Ayers.

I watched Saving Private Ryan the other night and had to get this out of my head. I am writing my other stories! I promise!

- - -

"AYERS!"

Privates John and Jack Ayers ran up to the command tent that hand been set up on the beach after the initial landing and battle. They saluted the Colonel and fell to parade rest when the Colonel waved at them. "I have a mission for you two."

- - -

Jack glanced over to her brother as they crept behind a hedge that ran along the treeline of some fields. They would have to move farther into the fields eventually to keep up with Miller and the group, but that meant breaking their cover, being out in the open. She didn't like it. But she didn't have much of a choice. The pair of soldiers would not reveal their presence until needed, so they would have to find some sort of camouflage. Miller would eventually needed cover fire, and the element of surprise would be a great advantage against the attacking enemy. But until then, they would follow the American group, watching their backs.

Jack placed her hand on John's arm, signaling him to stop, "There" she said quietly, her voice blending into the wind. -Over there- She motioned with her hands to the left. A small group of five Germans was approaching the unaware Americans from the side. She grinned. The pair was concealed and on a hill, giving no sign of having seen them. Another advantage.

"We need to get closer" John whispered back to her. He moved forward to one of the hedges that divided the field and followed one that would take them closer to the American troops and the Germans. It would provide cover from fire and help conceal their location, hopefully confusing their enemy.

This is what they were out here for. Colonel Anderson told them to provide additional man power to Miller's group, to save this,... Private Ryan. He didn't say how exactly to provide this cover, so the pair thought the element of surprise would come in handy. They were right.

John held his hand up. -here- They hand reached a good spot. They had gotten behind the Germans who were at a slight angle to the group they were following. This would minimize the chance of friendly fire from a surprised group of Americans. Both groups were unaware they were being followed.

John already had his gun propped up on the hedge while Jack analyzed the situation. She followed suit.

"Twelve hundred yards"

They took the wind into account and waited. Watching the Germans through he sight. The twins worked together seamlessly. They instinctively knew their own targets, and which to hit next, never going for the same target. Though Jack was the better sniper, john didn't let his rank as medic interfere with his shooting ability. He wasn't Near good as Jack, but damn close.

They both watched the Germans silently as they got closer and closer to the American group. They would wait until the Germans began to line up their sights on the group, they wouldn't give away their position if they didn't need to.

-there- John motioned, the Germans had stopped and began to set up their guns

The twins took their time lining up their shots before both said a quiet "fire" and they shot simultaneously, making one noise. They watched through the scopes as they reloaded. The Germans were startled, not knowing where the shot came from, while the Americans hit the ground, turning to see the Germans and getting their guns out. The twins shot another round out before anyone else could fire. The last German was taken out by one of Miller's men. Looked like his sharpshooter to Jack.

"There goes our advantage" John said turning to Jack with a grin.

Jack just laughed, which was muffled by the bandanna she wore the lower half of her face. Between that and her hat, only her eyes, part of her forehead and eyebrows were seen. "We should really go say hi." From here out, John would do most of the talking. The bandanna helped muffle her feminine voice, but precautions must be taken. Women were not allowed in combat. She had followed John, refusing to let her twin go to war without her. So she had cut her hair and became Jack, instead of Jacqueline. Going by Jackie as a kid, Jack wasn't a far step.

With her cropped hair and wrapped chest (she already had a boyish figure, but a little extra protection against being found wouldn't hurt) she and her brother looked like identical twins, sandy brown hair and green eyes. The bandanna masked her slightly more feminine features as well as her voice so when she _did_ speak it wouldn't sound too feminine.

She brought her attention back to the American group. They were still crouched down, but had moved behind a hedge. They were looking for the first shooters. Jack nodded to John

"LUCKY!" he shouted across the field to give the Americans confirmation that they themselves were also American. There was a few seconds of silence until Miller's group called back "STRIKE!" John smiled, "Now that they won't shoot us, let's go introduce ourselves."

John got up and climbed easily over the hedge, moving across the field to the group of Americans who were backtracking towards them. Jack followed after a moment, placing her hand on the hedge and vaulted herself over. She held her rifle in her right hand pointing it towards the sky as she practically stalked after her brother.

She had found that the best way to avoid confrontation (and to avoid giving herself away) was to come off as detached and distant. They would be wary of her and would generally leave her alone. Generally. The bandanna did attract some attention, but with her position as a sniper, she somewhat set aside from the others.

As they approached , Miller's group seemed more relaxed, standing in a half circle behind the Captain. John stopped a few yards away from Miller, and Jack came to a stop slightly behind and to the right of her brother. She saw a few curious and suspicious looks directed towards her but she brushed them off to pay attention to John and Miller.

John spoke first. "Captain Miller?"

He nodded "Thanks for the support back there" he waved towards the dead Germans. "Who are you and what are you doing out here? Everyone from the beach is headed to Caen"

"That's where we should be going to" One of his men muttered. Jack smiled at that, knowing it was true. But they would get more action heading to Ramelle than to Caen. She was happy for that.

John rubbed the back of his head, tilting his helmet to one side "well, after Colonel Anderson found out you left, he thought you might be able to use a few more guns" He motioned between the twins. "Jack here had the best shot of our unit"

Miller looked at Jack who merely stared back with, well what looked to him like a bored expression. "And you are-? He said turning back to look at John when Jack gave no sign of talking.

"Sorry sir!" He saluted Miller. "Private Jonathan Ayers sir!" he jerked his thumb to Jack, "This is Private Jack Ayers" who also saluted the captain.

Miller raised an eyebrow. "Brothers? I thought they separated brothers."

"Well, usually sir, but we are twins. And we make one hell of a team. You can't get much better than a sniper teamed with a medic whose got a decent shot himself." John looked at Jack "And he doesn't talk too much sir."

Miller nodded. "Formation, the sooner we find Private Ryan, the sooner we can get out of this German infested place" He turned and walked towards Ramelle, thinking about the new additions to his team. He couldn't go against Colonel Anderson's orders. Two more guns would help, and from what he had just witnessed with the German ambushers, they were both good shots. His men would make up for Private Jack's lack of. All his men had their quirks, this was just another one.


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing having to do with Saving Private Ryan or WWII. I own only Private John and Jack Ayers.

I watched Saving Private Ryan the other night and had to get this out of my head. I am writing my other stories! I promise!

And if the whole referring to Jack as both she and he gets confusing, let me know!

- - -

Jack walked beside her brother at the back of the group, eyes sweeping side to side keeping an out for any movement or anything unusual. Jack did not think that this was the best route to take, to out in the open for her to like. But she could not voice her opinions to the captain, only keep an eye out for any danger.

Millers men noticed that the two brothers, though twins were very different. John was smiling, and though still alert and paying attention to the surroundings, was joking around with the group of soldiers, and getting to know them. His brother, Jack was the opposite. He had not relaxed since their meeting and was silent, eyes constantly scanning the land around them. What little of his face they could see was serious.

To everyone else, it seemed like Jack was just paying attention to her surroundings, but she kept one ear to the soldiers. It wouldn't do to know nothing about this new group. It seemed to her that Upham was not well liked, so she assumed that he was also new to the group.

She saw Upham move up to Mellish and tap him on the shoulder and started to pay more attention to the translator. Mellish was not to happy, "Want your head blown off you fancy little fuck?! Don't you ever fucking touch me with those little rat claws again! Get back in formation!" Upham just stuttered a reply about wondering where he was from.

He looked a little put off so John called out to him. "Me n' Jack here are from Virginia. Live near the Norfolk base. It's how we got here" he laughed. "Ain't that right Jack! Just think, if they hadn't made it so easy to join the military down there, we might not be here right now!" They all watched as Jack rolled her eyes and shook her head at her brothers joking. But still no verbal response from the silent twin.

Upham made his way up to Caparzo who was in front of Mellish. He tried to talk to him, but Caparzo just responded with a "Drop dead Corporal" which threw the man for a moment. Caparzo decided to take that moment to inform the man of one of his mistakes "Every time you salute the captain, you make him a target for the Germans. So do us favor don't do it. Especially when I'm standing next to him. Kapesh?"

Jack looked to John as he fell back to walk next to her ignoring the banter. She nodded towards the hedge that ran along there path, which the Captain was starting to veer away from. "I'm going to follow that and move ahead. I don't like being out in the open. I feel like an easy target."

John nodded and moved up to speak with the Captain. After a few minutes he turned to look at Jack, who was scanning the area, and nodded to John. "Go ahead." was all John said as he moved back into formation. The rest of the group watched as Jack broke off and began jogging off to the side and ahead of the group. "Where is he going?" Upham asked.

The last Jack heard of the conversations was Upham then asking about Miller and FUBAR. She snorted at his believing that it was German, and moved ahead of the group. They were talking too much for her liking. Too out in the open and moving slowly. She tried her best to blend in with the shadows of the hedge and moved forward, staying ahead of the group watching for any dangers. This is what she did best, find the enemy and take them down. And she did. She found a scouting German party of two men wandering causally down a path. Fools she thought, this was war, you can't wander causally around anywhere, even if this was your supposed territory. She grinned and set up her sniper rifle and let out two quick shots taking out both the Germans before they knew what hit them.

Jack knew that if John had heard the shots, hew would reassure the others that she was just taking care of some Germans and didn't need help. They had developed a signal for help in previous situations similar to this one. That, and they would soon cross paths with the dead Germans, which she also knew John would spot even though she dragged them to the ditch and hid them. Thus further reassuring the Captain that she was fine.

It started to rain, and she knew they were in for a miserable afternoon at the least. She looked up to the sky as it started to pour. This was war weather. She soon heard the sounds of battle and hurried forward to find the ruins of a town up ahead. She could make out troops that were stuck under fire and a mantra of German being played from somewhere. "German's. Think a little talking is going to bring down our spirits." Jack snorted and spun on her heels and ran back to the group. They had to hurry to get to the battle.

After roughly twenty minutes of navigating around mud and giant water puddles, Jack spotted the group, and when she got into hearing distance she called out "Lucky!" and Miller responded with "Strike" and she hurried toward the group. "Captain, there's shots in the town up ahead. They seem pretty bogged down sir" The rain was dripping off her helmet and the soldiers looked something akin drowned cats. She grinned under her bandanna knowing they couldn't see her. Though she probably looked worse, having run through the rain and mud to get back to them. At least the rain had washed away the blood from the soldiers she had drug into the ditch.

The Captain studied her for a second before turning to his men and ordering them to move out. If the men thought anything of her speaking a few sentences, Jackson was the only one to say anything. And he only commented that it was good to know she could actually speak. They took off toward the town, and soon they all heard the gun shots and picked up their speed.

John nodded to her "Did you run into any trouble?" he asked.

"Nothing I couldn't handle" She replied her eyes slanting close so he could tell she was grinning.

"You are blood thirsty aren't you?"

"No more than you brother." she gave a small laugh, and Upham just stared wide eyed at them, having heard their exchange. He really hasn't seen much combat Jack thought as she watched him trip and turn back around to focus on the task of running through the rain and muddy path. She snorted thinking about how this little mission would quickly change his perspective of the war when they reached the town.

When they reached the edge of the town they, all moved to flatten themselves against a wall, using it as a vantage point to see the layout of the town, planning their next move. Miller yelled "THUNDER" and instantly got a returning "FLASH" They moved in smaller groups zig zagging behind empty buildings to reach the G.I.'s that were crouching in an alley behind the cover of rubble.

The captain in charge was happy to see them at first, inquiring how many of their relief there was.

To this Miller had to reply that there was only ten of them, and they were unfortunately not their relief.

"What do mean sir?" was the captains' question. He was hopping for support.

"We are here for a Private Ryan." Miller's men were hopping that by some chance of fate, Private Ryan might be in this ruin of a town. Then they could drag his ass back to command, and all head to Caen, and a proper shower and meal.

"He _could_ be on the other side of town" was the reply they got. Jack sighed, this was a battle zone, in a town, filled with empty buildings that had holes blown in random places. Not a place that she wanted to have to move through. Too many places for the Germans to hide in. And that speaker was driving her crazy. She had no idea what it was saying, as it was in German, but it was damn annoying.

But they had to find Private Ryan. Give him his ticket home. And they had to help this unit. They _did_ need backup, and none was coming any time soon. Besides, Jack reasoned with herself, she liked killing Germans. Where was the fun in this mission if she didn't get to kill a few more Germans.

"It's hard to get to the other side sir." the Captain continued. "The Germans came in two hours ago and cut us right in two. Who are you looking for?"

Miller repeated himself again. "Ryan. Private James Ryan. Dropped in with the 101"

"We need a runner"

Jackson took the initiative "RUNNER! We need a runner over here!" Miller motioned to his men and they made a dash forward to a group of soldiers further into the town who were crouching behind half a brick wall with random holes blown into it.

- - -

I don't really like this point to cut it off, but I didn't want a super long chapter either. I just want to get this written and out of my head so I can work on my other stories =]

tegz92, thanks! I hope to continue this before I lose interest.

Swiftswallow, also Thanks for the review! How Jack got past the people in charge will be explained a few chapters ahead. Hopefully. I haven't worked all the details out yet, but I have a basic idea.


	3. Chapter 3

I own nothing having to do with Saving Private Ryan or WWII. I own only Private John and Jack Ayers.

Here, have another chapter =]

And if the whole referring to Jack as both she and he gets confusing, let me know! This picks up right after the other chapter. I am trying to stay fairly close to the movies lines. I've been going back and forth from the movie to the script. But leaning more towards the movie.

- - -

The Sargent joined them, hunkered down as to not expose themselves to the Germans. "We got stopped out here by some intense rifle action from the east. The German's have been reinforcing two regiments all day. Streets have been quite about 45 minutes. Most of the German fire now has been concentrated on the West."

"Whose our friend on the loud speaker" Miller asked

"That's our friendly neighborhood morale officer." the Sargent said. They all listened to the voice for a minute. Jack laughed as Miller translated part of the message. It was about the Statue of Liberty being kaput. Her laugh got a few looks from the soldiers around her. "Kaput" she said still laughing.

"I'm glad you find this funny, Jack." John said.

"I do. I live for this!" She joined Mellish in shouting profanities to the speaker. The group she had come with gave her a few stares. This was the most they had heard Jack speak since they met him. They shot a few rounds out at the Germans to give the runner cover. He ran around the wall, and took off running to get clear of the fire.

"Shit!" Jack yelled as the runner was shot down. He was laying in the middle of the road, there was no way to get anyone to him without getting themselves shot in the process. She turned back to see Caparzo drop some food he had been eating off the ground and run up next to her and the Captain. He looked over the wall just in time to see the Germans fire at the runner who had been groaning and moving around on the ground.

"You fucking animal!" He shouted to the Germans.

"They single out the runners. Don't want us to have direct contact with the others." the Sargent said looking at the body of his now dead runner.

"Yeah, but why do they keep shooting him up like that?" Caparzo yelled.

"As long as his lungs have breath in them, he carries the message." the Captain told him in a detached voice. "We would do the same thing."

"No we wouldn't!"

The Sargent got his men back on the radio, trying to let the Captain Hamill on the west side know they were coming in. Jack heard Miller ask Sarge about the rest of the town. "Next block has two story buildings on both sides with lots of windows. Then there is an open square with pretty good cover on the left."

"Good, show me" Jack followed the captain to provide cover. "Alright, we'll use the buildings. Try a left hook. Shoot and scoot, two of yours, two of mine." He said after looking over the area. He turned back to the men shouting out orders. They all ran up to join the Captain forming a huddle around him. "Ayers! You two take point. Get to the open square, stay to the left."

Jack nodded to Miller, moving forward, her brother right behind her. She had her sniper rifle put away and her M1 rifle in front of her. Jack heard the cover fire from behind her as she lead the way through the rubble. She moved behind another portion of a wall, John right next to her.

-Two, the house ahead- Jack motioned to John. They looked at each for a second before bringing their guns up above the wall and taking out the two German soldiers. They ducked down just in time to avoid the shots fired at them from beyond the dead soldiers. John turned around and nodded to the captain, the rest of the American troops began to follow them in a haphazard single file line.

"Reiben, where's the Captain from" Jack heard Upham ask. This is not the time to dig for information she thought.

"You figure that one out and ya get a nice prize" was the response he got from Reiben. With Jackson adding "Three hundred bucks the last I heard" as he moved past them to crouch behind Jack and the pile of rubble. They were answering his questions, so they must be warming up to him Jack thought.

"Does anyone know anything about the Captain?" John asked. He nudged Jack, "Three hundred, Jack, we should enter."

"The company's got a pool. Five bucks gets you in"

"Hey Mellish, Jack and I want in" John called to the man behind him before getting to up to move with Jack to the next cover point in their advancement to the square. Jack led them down the street, past another almost completely torn down building. They got behind more rubble as Wade's group of the injured caught up with them.

"Around this corner should lead to the gates" Miller said to Jack who nodded. She allowed John and Miller to pass her, taking the lead, and she followed keeping her eyes to the buildings looking for Germans. The men behind her were still discussing the Captain.

"Somebody must know where he is from, what he did for a living."

"I've been with him since Anzio. I'm closer to him that I am to my own brother but I don't even know what state he's from. Somewhere in the Northeast as near as I can figure. I don't even have a clue what he did for a living as civilian." was Horvath's reply to Upham's statement and he moved up to stand behind Jack. She followed Miller with the troops behind her as they moved around the buildings and rubble. Upham was still asking questions about Miller, where he went to school and the like. Jack smiled as she heard the replies he got. "Captain didn't go to school. They assembled him at O.C.S. school out of spare body parts of dead G.I.'s" "Hey, you got somethin' against the Cap'n?" Jackson asked defensively, his accent coming out. "Hell, no. I think he's the best officer in the whole goddamned army, bar none." Reiben replied. "You got that right" Caparzo decided to add his two cents in too. "You gotta pay attention to detail. I know exactly where he's from and exactly what he did cause I pay attention to detail"

Jack motioned Reiben and Mellish to go by her, and turned as Jackson came up to pass her, "Hey Upham, be careful you don't step in the bullshit." They ran behind another half wall where all the soldiers had stopped. There must be something, or someone, ahead.

"THUNDER!" No reply. "Thunder or we will fire on you!"


	4. Chapter 4

I own nothing having to do with Saving Private Ryan or WWII. I own only Private John and Jack Ayers.

Sorry I haven't posted. There was a lot! of stuff going on this summer. And lots of drama between moving out of my old house and into my new house. _And_ I managed to hurt my knees and have to have them drained. Plus I am taking all upper level courses this semester, so lots of course work. But I have exams next week so fanfic is one of the best ways to procrastinate. :)

_Jack motioned Reiben and Mellish to go by her, and turned as Jackson came up to pass her, "Hey Upham, be careful you don't step in the bullshit." They ran behind another half wall where all the soldiers had stopped. There must be something, or someone, ahead._

"_THUNDER!" No reply. "Thunder or we will fire on you!"_

Jack heard shouting over the rain. It sounded like a foreign language to her, or the rain was distorting it.

The captain motioned to Upham. "Tell them to show themselves"

So it was a foreign language. Jack listened as Upham shouted something over the rain. "I have no idea what he's saying" she muttered to John. "I hope he's helping" She looked around the wall. There was a building exposed to the elements. A family was still inside. What the hell are they still doing here? She thought. Are they insane. This is a war zone, a battle was going on around them!

"This is a bad idea" she muttered as Captain moved them around the destroyed gate and closer to the family. They moved behind any cover they could find, half destroyed cars and giant piles of rubble from the also destroyed buildings. A baby cried as a woman joined the man in the rain.

"Ask them if they know where the Germans are." Upham spouted of something in the same language as before. The man replied in a frantic voice.

At least he knows he's an idiot she thought, we need to keep moving. Jack moved forward, ahead of the group and ignored the exchange between the military group and the civilians. She positioned herself behind a car and surveyed the road in front of her. All these buildings are nothing but death traps, she thought, and here we are out in the open talking to a family! Anyone could be hiding in them. She turned her head in time to see Caparzo reaching and grabbing a kid from the man and walking down the rubble pile. What the hell is he doing!

"Captain the decent thing to do would be to at least take her down the road to the next town."

"We are not here to do the decent thing. We are here to following fucking orders."

Jack turned back to the buildings. This doesn't feel right. Something is wrong. "Shit!" She pulled her sniper rifle out and looked through the scope at a bell tower as she heard something hit a piano and randoms notes played. She turned and saw Caparzo on the ground, the rest of the group scrambling to take cover.

I should have seen that coming. The little girl was screaming, wanting to get back to her family. But don't we all in this war.

"He was on the ground before we heard the shot" Jackson said to the Captain, moving up next to her.

"I should have seen that coming." She nodded to the tower. "Up there" She motioned towards the tower. Jackson looked to the tower and back to the Captain.

"That's where I'd be" he said.

"I didn't see it" Captain said.

None of us did Jack thought. She looked over to Caparzo who was still in the middle of the road. They could all hear him groaning and calling for help, but no one helped him, knowing they would get shot before they got close. She glanced over at Caparzo again, the water on the ground under him was quickly turning red, not a good sign. The little girl kept crying and calling for her family. There was nothing they could do for the moment.

Jack tuned in to the conversation between the Captain and Jackson as he set up his gun. "450 yards Captain. Maybe a shade under." He called a warning out to the rest of the squad. "alright" He looked up to the tower again, before adjusting his weapon. "2 clicks, left wind.", then a prayer as he set up his shot. " O my God, I trust in Thee. Let me not be ashamed. Let not my enemies triumph over me." A few seconds after he was done, a single shot rang out and Jackson motioned for them to move out.

Jack watched as the little girl ran to her family, climbing over the rubble. All this, for the little girl, she thought. One of our soldiers, probably dead, for what? A family that hadn't left in time? She glared at the family, before her line of sight was blocked. "Leave it" John said looking at her "What's done is done. You can't change that."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. His death was pointless! It didn't need to happen. If that family wasn't-"

"If's don't matter in war Jack, you know that. People are going to die, and sometimes there isn't anything you can do about it." her brother said, putting a comforting hand her shoulder. Death was hard on everyone. John moved to help clear the area as Captain called out orders before kneeling down and pulling Caparzo's tags. "That's why we can't take children."

Her instincts warned her that someone was watching her. Jack looked around at the ruined town. It was still raining and the American soldiers were running around and following orders like little ants. She surveyed the buildings looking for anything out of the ordinary before turning and looking at Jackson who was staring at her. Well, to be fair, he was glaring at her, though she wasn't sure if it was because of her or the rain.

They both stood there, staring at each other as the soldiers ran around them, trying to accomplish their tasks. Their staring contest would have lasted longer if the Captain hadn't ordered them to check out the tower, and fast. Jack called out a 'Yes sire!' at the same time as Jackson. In silence they headed towards the tower, both wondering what the other was thinking.

"I know somethin's not right with ya" Jackson said after a moment. Jack looked at him, thankful that he was watching their surroundings so he wouldn't see the shock and worry in her eyes. She had to be more careful, he was more observant than she thought. Any wrong move on her part would get her and her brother in big trouble with the military and the American government. But she wouldn't give him a chance to see her fuck up, she was better than that. She gave a small laugh at his comment before turning her attention back on their surroundings.

Jackson frowned at her and started to say her something but she held her hand up, the tower was just ahead. Jack moved forward with Jackson close behind her until they were close enough to the base that it would be a hard shot from the top. They moved to stand on either side of the door, Jackson looked to her, nodded, and moved into the building. Jack followed, gun ready to shoot anything that moved. The building was silent, the rain hitting the roof was enough to drown out their quiet footsteps and echo in the vaulted ceiling. But it also made it harder for them to hear any enemies that might be left. Jackson motioned to stairs going up and they both began to work their way up to the tower.

I know this isn't the best stopping point, but I'm trying to get back into this story and I wanted to post something


End file.
